What does it cost to hire a good salesperson? Many companies spend about one fourth the annual salary of a salesperson on job placement. They spend another fourth on sales training before the salesperson becomes effective and efficient. Most of these costs are hidden costs which the business doesnt take into consideration. If this is true, then half the annual salary of a new salesperson is spent before the salesperson makes their first sales appointment for the company. If the salesperson takes six months ramping up to speed and then decides to leave, the company investment is completely lost.

The hidden costs of hiring a salesperson are found in the time spent during the job placement and interview process, management time, sales training, advertising costs and all the resource time invested. These costs are real dollars associated with lost time. You must account for the time spent by the company. Consider the time anyone who worked with your salesperson, particularly when they could have been more effective in other areas of your business.

The Sales Assistant Investment Advantage

A sales assistant is completely different than the investment of a salesperson. A sales assistant is more reliable, less expensive and more predictable. The personality traits of a sales assistant are also much different from a salesperson. You wont be dealing with a maverick personality requiring constant attention. Instead, your assistant comes with strong organizational skills, which will follow a strict sales program. You will want this assistant to always be there whenever you need them. The assistant typically doesnt ask for higher pay, incentives or take vacations. Assistants are often the first to get started, the last to leave and dont mind working overtime.

Perhaps you recognize the assistant is an automated sales program on your computer. Your right, many companies invest in a sales system such as ACT, Outlook, Goldmine and other contact management programs that meet the sales assistants advantage. The challenge is to automate these systems with your sales action plans. Many of these programs have the potential to become your sales assistant and the investment is much easier and far more reliable than a salesperson.

Taking the First Step Towards a Sales Assistant

Your first step toward using your sales assistant is to evaluate your sales program and define the actions you can automate with your contact management system. Many of these programs have events you can customize and reduce your sales cycle through automation with a sales assistant your computer.

Steve Martinez

My name is Steve Martinez and I started this business development company to eliminate sales failure. I have spent the last few decades honing my experience as a National Sales Manager, Sales Trainer, Mentor and Author of Selling. This history provides the depth of my experience and value to you as a client in the Business to Business marketplace.

I am proud to say that our innovative sales management strategies are revolutionizing sales for business to business companies. My clients are taught the advantage of building long term profitable relationships using his customized sales action plans. The results are nothing short of magical. Salespeople are able to perform twice, three times and, in some cases, ten times what they used to do before. Sales Managers enjoy the Selling Magic system as they more effectively manage and forecast sales.

I am not new to sales management, technology and sales workflow. I bring 25 years of business management consulting experience. I have been fortunate to have traveled the United States as a National Sales Manager, National Account Executive where I learned the real world lessons of sales. I've also worked for franchise organizations leading sales to a network of over 700 salespeople.

I wish I could say that sales success came easy. It didn't! I had to work at selling and learn the tough lessons. fortunately, this made me stronger and wiser. Through my experience I learned why businesses fail and why salespeople struggle in sales.

I enjoy applying these valuable lessons, focusing on teaching others how to increase sales, become more profitable using technology and following the best practices of Customer Relationship Management.

Our clients tell us, Selling Magic is a logical choice. It provides advanced business development strategies. We are certified members of the Cargill Consulting Group and the Mastermind Consulting Group. Selling Magic delivers sales management and Customer Relationship Building solutions with a suite of consulting services designed to enhance your business.

Steve is an accomplished speaker and writer for business development projects. Sales Automation, Sales Coaching and E-Marketing are his primary projects in business development.

We invite you to discover the Selling Magic approach to sales management and how Selling Magic can help you "out wit, out smart and out last, your competition."